Which of the following is a recognized cause of hyphema?

• A. Trauma
• B. Cataract
• C. Retinal detachment
• D. Conjunctival hyperemia

Answer: (A)

Hyphema means blood in the anterior chamber, which most reliably points to disruption of intraocular vessels. The strongest and most recognized cause is trauma to the eye—blunt or penetrating injuries can tear iris or ciliary body vessels and bleed into the front of the eye.

Cataract refers to lens opacity and does not inherently cause bleeding into the anterior chamber. Retinal detachment is a posterior segment issue; while severe disease can accompany inflammation, it does not typically present with blood in the front chamber. Conjunctival hyperemia is superficial redness from dilated conjunctival vessels and does not involve hemorrhage into the anterior chamber.